Company Formation

Introduction

Company formation is the term to effectively register a new UK limited company with companies house - the government database of active and dormant companies.

It's extremely fast and easy to register a new company and can either be done by company formation agents or your can do it yourself at the companies house website.

Company formation is the overall term used in this industry but others such as UK limited company formations or online limited liability company formation are used

Form Your Company Online Now

Just enter the company name you wish to form in the box below:


*please keep the word "limited" in the search box"

Types of companies

Generally a formation agent is just going to form a limited liability company. A partnership or sole trader does not form a company that's limited by liability (ie: the company owns the assets and liabilities and not the shareholder, staff not owners). Of course directors of limited (ltd.) companies do have serious responsibilities and you should understand what these are if you are going to be a director of a company.

A limited company also requires a secretary and the rules have been relaxed in recent years on the role itself and who can do it (ie: a director can also be the secretary of the company now).

Company Names

You can opt to buy an "off the shelf" company or create a new company. Off the shelf companies imply just that and these are companies that have already been formed by an agent where they will likely hold 1 share in the company. They can transfer the shareholding to you and then the company is effectively yours.

This is the fastest method and often the cheapest. If you require you own name to be registered it may take longer and cost more. This is because the agent needs to check that the company name is not already trading or been trading before and perhaps has existing and outstanding debt and judgements against it.

Company Documentation

Each new company comes with various documentation that is created by companies house and the agent such as a memorandum and articles of association, companies house form 10, companies house for 12 and the articles of association.

All forms needed to be completed correctly otherwise companies house may reject them and delay the forming of the company. Forms 10 and 12 require a form of statutory declaration and must be witnessed by a Justice of the Peace a Notary Public, Solicitor or a Commissioner for Affidavits.

Why use a company formation agent ?

Generally agents can undertake all the filing of the forms electronically online and these companies have to be approved by companies house to achieve this.

All the correct forms are developed online and these systems will take you through a series of questions and answer style forms and at the end you are ready to pay and submit your application. A company formation agent is your best bet for accurate and fast formation of your company.